WHAT A BLESSING!!

oh man so the sun finally is coming out!!! it was such a beautiful day!!! i got to go on 2 walks!! ... i got to make my first jar of sun tea...jeremy if u read this...which i doubt u do... but i did think of all the tea we would drink....REDICULOUS!...ummm it is soooo good... i have to hide it or everyone will steal it..haha i cant wait to all the sweet tea in kentucky this summer!!

Ephesians Homework

Ephesians- Ch 2                                                           Anna Chaparro
1.4.08

The second chapter of Ephesians is loaded with scriptures for the believer that is convicted and brings many things into remembrance. Paul first gives us multiple examples of our life before Christ has entered it. It allows us to see our lifestyle and the lost ways of our flesh. We truly did deserve nothing but the wrath of God; we still do in a sense, for it’s only by the grace of God that we don’t have to. Barclay really hones in on the true meaning of sin. It is more than us doing “bad things”; it is us failing to hit the target of life. When we realize what sin is, we see it come to life as an actual aspect of life, and not some theologian term for imperfection. Though we are forgiven and cleansed for our sins, it is always apart of our lives. It kills innocence that may never be returned, it kills ideals of temptation, and it kills the will. Barclay uses a piece from highly proclaimed author Oscar Wilde and his realization of sin in his life. A man that had “it all” in life ended his life in the words “The gods had given me almost everything…Tired of being on heights I deliberately went to the depths in search for new sensation…ceased to be lord over myself. I was no longer captain of my own soul, and did not know it. I allowed pleasure to dominate me. I ended in horrible disgrace” What an incredible paradox we see; that desire is a bad master. Even if your desires are minor, may no one think that through escaping the grosser sins of the body, the sins of the flesh have been avoided. As we go on to see the heart of repentance in 2:4 Paul beautifully reminds us of Who can restore this loss of innocence. Whenever people realize that they have sinned and they are often weighed down by the feeling that they dare not approach God. But we must remember, as Isaiah shared the same acknowledgement with you and me in Isaiah 6:5, we must remember that no matter what we are like, the door is open to the presence of God. How lucky are we to not have to confess to a man who claims the name priest, or get on our knees to climb some steps that are claimed to be “holy”? Jesus tells us to come as we are. The grace of Jesus Christ rekindles the ideals which chronic sin has extinguished. And by that very rekindling, life begins ascending again. As we have our relationship with Christ, He reminds us that we cannot enter the Kingdom with works. It’s so refreshing to know that we don’t have to have a time sheet to turn in when we go to heaven. NO, but instead that our relationship to God, our salvation will naturally produce the urge to love and serve one another. We can never earn God’s love, but we can and must show how thankful we are for it by seeking a life that will bring joy to His heart. He has accepted us as citizens (11-12) in God’s family and he has completely unified all of us. How refreshing is it to know that we do not have to change our ethnicity or origin to have a relationship with Christ? Yes, it’s by the peace and love of God that we have all nations and tongues. It is Jesus’ purpose not that we should turn all people into one nation, but that there should be Christian Indians and Christian Africans whose unity lies in their Christianity. We have an oneness in Christ, and He had provided a home where the Spirit of Christ can dwell and where everyone that truly loves Him can meet in that Spirit (18).
Paul gives so much encouragement in this letter to the Ephesians. It is such a comforting thing to know that we all have a peace in Christ, and that we can all obtain it no matter what wretched state we are in. God is so good as I can’t get over the fact that we deserve His wrath so much, and yet, instead He invites us into His family. That is love; and THAT is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

Infection

So, moral of the story.. DO NOT BITE YOUR CUTICLES .... or you will get an infection. So i woke up the other day to find 9 fingers... 9FINGERS?!?! .. yes, 9, and one that was the size of my face! ugh... so i asked around and they rushed me to Brenda to see if i could get it lanced.... okay, so the term lanced is new to me. at forst i was down with it... and then i see this lady come to me with a hot needle and a hand to squeeze. yes yes yes, she proceeded to stick it into the hot tip of my finger which was discolored by the green puss and blood, more formerly known as my middle finger. As she opened it, she squeezed it, and asked me if it hurt. I as politely as i could said, "Uh huh. yes. yup. sure. oh yeah" As i thought it was all coming to an end, i learned it was only the beginning, because she told me that nothing came out and that we need to surface it more so that we can drain it later. 

So, this has been my life for that last three days. I have discovered a local chemist "pharmacist" here, which politely gives perscriptioned drugs over the counter. So, my friend Paul told me i had a "gordo finger" and got me some Pennisylan.. of so he thinks. haha but, ive been taking them and it seems to have gone down. so im happy.

but yes people, dont bite your cuticles in spain... it just wraps you up.

with love and a fat finger, 

anna

March is almost a goner...

here are some random pics of um the storm we had here, the lunch with loretta, easter, and random apartment life pictures! :)

Roma

ahhh so i finally posted some pictures from rome!!! sorry it took forever!! i suck at life sometimes ... but ill try to post some other ones from the past two weeks back... man time is a flyin! we're gona be back before you know it! ... there are pictures of me in pauls prison (below) and then me and my like 14th cappachino, and at the colosseum, and the roman forum and trevi fountain, holy steps, st paul and peters basillica, ad randomness....

heres the pictures!!

jesus has risen!! n im still alive....

so i went to austria this weekend wit 8 of my friends from the college... we rented a van (huge!) it was tall enough for us all to stand up in.... we had the best dance parties on the auto ban!! it was amazing... here r some pics...ill b getttin more from the rest of the guys today... cause yall know i didn't take any pics :)
it was beautiful!! it might have been my favorite place eva! i could even communicate wit them ....thanks to mr smith...my german teacher!! i would love to go back...we all almost dropped out of the school in hungary so we could go to the austria castle!! lucky....
if there is n e questions.... bring um out...cause i dont know what u guys wanna know... :)
well the pics wont post...but heres one :)
more comin...

Ah! i know i know...

... i suck at life. so im gonna try to post random pics from rome and life in the last weeks. but yea!! im so jazzed that mandy is in austria! lucky !! i just finished my week here, and i have the busiest week of my life starting tonight. SO pray for me. the Lord is stretching me like no other here... im so glad to be here though! i went to the hospital yesterday and got to visit a few ladies and just love on them (in espanol of course) :) ... and it was just a good time. they totally stole my heart and laid desire of medicine even more! God is good and his love is incredable folks! remember that . :)
anna

weeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrd

so basically im not going boarding....im kinda bummed but i think its for the better....i would fully brake a leg.... but the story gettin here has been amazing...our AMAZING driver...neal.... has conqured the autoban.... it was intense tho hahaha we first missed our off rap to a grocery store (tesco) but then had to make a quick Uie to get back on track...we had a gps system so thank god gigi was wit us!! (for uncle steven :) the when we got to austria we missed another off ramp so instead of drivin forever... i had the briliant idea of just puttin it n reverse since it was around midnight n e ways..no one was around...or at least we thaught... it was just in time...but we made it safe... our van that we rented literaly was huge! we had a huge dancing party in it on the auto ban!! it was amazin maybe the video wil happen someday!!! well more to come on my incredible journey!!!
much love...
oh yeah im tryin to whistle :)
mandy

this ones for aimeeeeeeeee

hey guys sorry....ive been really busy... im leavin for austria n a couple hrs!!! crazy. me n 8 other friends r rentin a van n cruzin up to the castle there... so please PRAY...im wit a bunch of guys who say they know how to drive n "know" how to get there...so it will b interesting...haha i might b darin n snowboard n the alps...but ill prolly chicken out... but it will b fun..im meeting up wit some friends from murietta who r goin to the germany campus...
so i pretty much shaved my head...no joke... ;) just the back...i wanted to get pics up before i left but it just didnt happen... but when i get back it will b top priority....just ask adrianna...she's seen it... its sick!! three lines shaved n each side...pretty awesome!...
so pray for me also im playin bass n singin for tomorrows devos...( every thurs...) but tomorrow we will b playin BIG HOUSE oh u know....come n go wit me to my father's house..... offff its gonna b sick!! we practiced today n its off the walls...pray dat the lord will receive this song wit as much laughter as we r playin it!! we love sing wit the joy he gives us!!
well im out...i still have to do 6 chuck track...pack...2 classes... n worship!! ahhh.... peace out
mandy...aka... chief :)

Gonna start...

... so rome pictures are to come... this is one from st. peters basillica.... im the dark thing by the column ...